Origins of the Rajput War

Summary

Focusing on the mid‑seventeenth century, this article explains how strained relations between the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and the autonomous Rajput principality of Mewar culminated in a prolonged war. After Emperor Akbar recognised the Ranas of Mewar as pre‑eminent among Rajput chiefs, they preserved their independence by paying only nominal homage and never attending the imperial court. Rana Rāj Siṃha, who came to power in 1652, joined Aurangzeb during the Mughal succession struggle and was rewarded with the restoration of districts lost to earlier imperial campaigns. Once on the throne, however, Aurangzeb reimposed orthodox policies. He ordered the destruction of Hindu temples, revived the jizya poll‑tax on non‑Muslims and interfered in the successions of allied Rajput states. The Rana protested by writing an eloquent letter recalling Akbar’s policy of religious tolerance and arguing that the emperor’s spiritual advisers were misleading him. Tensions escalated when the Marwar ruler Jaswant Singh died without a confirmed heir and Aurangzeb sought to annex his territories. The birth of a posthumous son in 1679 frustrated this plan and the emperor’s attempt to place the child under Mughal guardianship provoked general Rajput resistance. The article narrates the ensuing conflict: Mewar’s nobles took up arms, Aurangzeb personally led a campaign into the hills and both sides engaged in guerrilla tactics. The Rajputs eventually secured assistance from the Sisodia clans and Maratha raiders, forcing the Mughals to negotiate. Although the war did not achieve a decisive victory, the author argues that it marked a turning point because it demonstrated the limits of Mughal authority and fostered a sense of Rajput solidarity. The essay concludes by situating the conflict within the broader context of Aurangzeb’s reign, showing that religious zeal and centralising ambitions alienated Hindu allies and contributed to the empire’s decline.